For any novitiate listener to the world of Indian dance (see: belly dancing), Stage Cuts is a perfect introduction to this music with a storied past. Taking songs from a variety of collections that typically run 10–15 minutes, Jalilah’s Raks Sharki edit these compositions into consumable tracks that range from the three to five minutes. The result is a completely listenable journey into a world of Oriental music replete with sitars, strings, polyrhythmic percussion and a whole bevy of stringed instruments I don’t know the name of. This comes courtesy of Mokhtar Al-Said’s “El Ferqa Al Mesaya” Orchestra, and this compilation will be a perfect companion for, A.) taking up belly dancing as aerobic exercise, or, B.) showing your friends how worldly and traveled you are. Just don’t tell them you read about it in SLUG. –Ryan Hall